The World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is celebrated on the second Saturday of May every year.It is a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.
Every year people around the world take action and organize public events such as bird festivals, education programmes, exhibitions and bird-watching excursions to celebrate WMBD.
The word migration comes from the Latin migratus that means “to change” and refers to how birds change their geographic locations seasonally.
It is estimated that there are more than 10, 000 bird species worldwide and about 1800 are migrant species. New research led by the American Museum of Natural History suggests that there are about 18,000 bird species in the world.
WMBD Themes
Every year International Migratory Bird Day has a new conservation theme with corresponding artwork, educational materials, and activities.2000: Focus on the Falcon, Artist Roger Tory Peterson
2001: Taste of the Tropics, Artist Terry Issac
2002: Exploring Habitats, Artist Charley Harper
2003: Catalysts for Conservation, Artist Gerald Sneed
2004: Conserving Colonial Birds, Artist Ram Papish
2005: Collisions, Artist David Sibley
2006: The Boreal Forest, Artist Radeaux
2007: Birds in a Changing Climate, Artist Louise Zemaitis
2008: Tundra to Tropics, Artist Eleazar Saenz
2009: Celebrate Birds In Culture, Artist Andy Everson
2010: Power of Partnerships, Artist Bob Petty
2011: Go Wild Go Birding, Artist John Muir Laws
2012: Connecting People to Bird Conservation, Artist Rafael Lopez
2013: Life Cycle of Migratory Birds, Artist Barry Kent MacKay
2014: Why Birds Matter, Artist Elias St. Louis
2015: Restore Habitat, Restore Birds, Artist Amelia Hansen
2016: Spread Your Wings for Bird Conservation, Artist Lionel Worrell
2017: Stopover Sites, Artist Rocio Landivar
2018: Year of the Bird, Artist Paula Andrea Romero
2019: Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution, Artist Arnaldo Toledo
2020: Birds Connect Our World
This year, 2020, the theme of World Migratory Bird Day is and was chosen to highlight the importance of conserving and restoring the ecological connectivity and integrity of ecosystems that support the natural cycles that are essential for the survival and well-being of migratory birds.
WMBD is an important event to create awareness on bird migration and to think how we can create a conducive atmosphere for other life forms and conserve our biodiversity.
Bird Migration
"Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds" - Wikipedia
Migrating birds can cover thousands of miles and can travel the same course every year without any change in their course. Surprisingly, they can find their migratory home on their own and the secrets of their amazing powers of navigation are not completely known to the scientific world.
The migrating birds face many problems as they travel the long distances every year. The dangers the birds face include natural problems and threats from humans. Natural problems include poor weather conditions during their flight, diseases and the predators. Hunting is a major threat faced by migratory birds. International bird trade is a multi billion-dollar industry and hundreds of exotic birds are captured and then sold all over the world. The tall glass buildings, electrical wires and other structures made by man also cause fatal injuries to the birds. Lead poisoning and oil spills affects the migratory birds.
Migratory Birds in India
India is a winter home for most of the Siberian birds like the Siberian Cranes. Many other species of birds during winter and summer seasons. Click here to learn about some beautiful migratory birds that come to India during summer and winter seasons.
Further Reading
https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/
World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)
Bird Migration - Wikipedia
Bird Migration Facts